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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25640200">Princess,Soldier,Sheriff</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleColaTrickster/pseuds/PurpleColaTrickster'>PurpleColaTrickster</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lego Ninjago</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adventure &amp; Romance, Alternate Universe - Western, Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, I'm about to give everyone a tragic backstory, Morrumi, Past Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse, Past Sexual Assault, Past Torture, Post-War, Psychological Trauma, Rating May Change, Tags May Change, Trauma, War, Warnings May Change, it isn't explicitly shown just referenced to</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:28:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,695</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25640200</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleColaTrickster/pseuds/PurpleColaTrickster</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It all started with a kidnapping. </p><p>Now Sheriff Lloyd is hitting the road with an ex rogue to save his captive wife and along the way he'll discover that there's more to this seemingly random kidnapping than meets the eye, the people involved are far more complicated than he realizes and it's all got to do with a woman from his past searching for a fallen soldier she refuses to believe is dead.</p><p>Yeah basically a western AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harumi &amp; Morro (Ninjago), Lloyd Garmadon &amp; Harumi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The_Newbie's Ninjago Fanfic Collection</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Call to Action</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello y’all, I’ve decided to toss my hat in the ring (ayyyyyyyyyy dO yOu GeT iT????!!!!!!!!) with the whole alternate western universe. I’ve seen other authors try this before with Ninjago characters (such as The Mayor of Ninjago City and so on)and I just became inspired so…..here we go!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   <br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Uncle Wu, open the door.”</p><p> </p><p>“..........”</p><p> </p><p>Lloyd supposed he really should have expected this from the old man, but he wasn’t about to yield his pride as a sheriff just because his uncle had a problem with his decision.</p><p> </p><p>“ Old man, I will wait here all night if I have to, I’m not leaving till you open the door.”</p><p> </p><p>“........”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m seriou-”</p><p> </p><p>“Would you pipe down already!” Came a raspy cackle Lloyd immediately recognized as the old geezer’s. Shortly following the demand,  the door was all ,but ripped open off it’s hinges, giving the young sheriff a full view of his uncle leaning against his bedroom window as his figure cast an almost comically unflattering silhouette against the dusty sheets of his thousand year old bed. </p><p> </p><p>When Wu still had yet to turn his gaze away from the incredible view of the town his two story farm house offered, Lloyd quickly decided to cut the silence short himself.</p><p> </p><p>“Uncle I know you’re not happy with my decision ,but-”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s out of your jurisdiction!” The retired farmer snapped, turning to face his blond nephew. “They’re probably way passed the border at this point.”</p><p> </p><p>“ I know.” Lloyd replied as he fidgeted with the brim of his hat. “But, a woman was kidnapped, Uncle. I couldn’t call myself a sheriff if I didn’t do something.”</p><p> </p><p>For a moment all the old man seemed capable of was blankly staring at his idiot relative before suddenly he let out a low humorless chuckle. “You know,...I swear you’re just like them.” </p><p> </p><p>Lloyd couldn’t help but freeze at the unspoken reference; his parents bless their souls, it seemed like forever since they both passed away on his eighteenth birthday.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright, if it’s my blessing you were looking for you have it. Just….” The farmer trailed off as his ancient gaze strayed towards his bedside table where, under the golden hue of a lantern rested a discolored red and blue Ninjagian Army hat that lay just inches from the frayed picture of its former owner-a young man with raven hair and wide viridescent eyes. “Don’t make me have to travel out of town to get your corpse. Those out of state funeral fees are highway robbery.”</p><p> </p><p>Despite his best efforts, Lloyd couldn’t stop the smile that bloomed across his features at the farmer’s crudeness.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, Uncle.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> **********</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Okay Pixal, I’m trusting you to take over for me while I’m gone.” Lloyd explained as he adjusted the substitute sheriff badge on his deputy. The young silver haired woman remained as still as a statue despite the intimidating presence of mayor Jadesen and his wife (who were called there to give their official approval of the temporary replacement). </p><p> </p><p>“Mr. Garmadon,” Pixal monotonically spoke up, yet again forgetting the countless times the blonde requested she just call him Lloyd. “If you don’t mind me asking, why not wait until Kai,Jay,Zane and Cole have returned from their cattle drive so that you might form a posse?”</p><p> </p><p>“Because,” Lloyd began his tone taking on a more serious edge. “There’s no time. If I wait till they get back, Mouse will have lost the scent of the criminals by then.” The sheriff explained, tilting his head toward the front door of the jailhouse where his horse was tied up just outside.</p><p> </p><p>“What will you do if and when you come into contact with the criminal’s then?” Pixal pushed. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry about me.” The sheriff quickly rebutted as he broke into another short laughing fit. “As long as I’ve got Mouse and my trusty ole green dragon I should be fine.” The blonde proudly declared as he gestured to the currently occupied gun holster attached to his belt. “,but if it makes you feel better, you can tell them all they’re free to follow me when they get back if I haven’t returned by then.” </p><p> </p><p>Pixal seemed less than satisfied with that mockingly simple answer ,but before she could voice another complaint, the mayor suddenly decided to speak up as well.</p><p> </p><p>“As much as it pains me, I’m afraid I have to question this course of action as well, Lloyd. What happened to Mrs. Shaw  was….awful ,but I don’t see how letting my sheriff venture out of town alone is the best way to handle this”</p><p> </p><p>Lloyd sighed in response. It figured Mr. Jadesen would be hesitant. He’d known the mayor for at least ten years now and he had yet to see the man act with anything other than intense calculation ;even the time in which he made the baffling decision to let <em> her </em> leav-</p><p>“Dear, I believe the Garmadon boy is right.” Mrs. Jadesen swiftly cut in, tearing Lloyd from his thoughts. “While we waste time here waiting and debating what to do, poor Bonnie is being carted across Ninjago to Departed Realm knows where!.” </p><p> </p><p>The old man looked down at his slightly shorter wife, for a moment Lloyd thought he may try to argue-such habitual decision making could not be easy to just throw out- however the blonde sheriff was thoroughly surprised when the mayor said.</p><p> </p><p>“Ok,I understand where you’re coming from darling.” Mr. Jadesen commended before turning to face Lloyd. “If you have everything you need, then I’d suggest you be on your way immediately. It’s going to be dark soon and I can only imagine how much land you have to cover.”</p><p> </p><p>Lloyd hastily nodded before obediently making his way to the Jailhouse entryway and sparing Pixal a quick over the shoulder glance to act as a wordless goodbye. Releasing his breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding, the sheriff pushed the double doors open and braced himself for the chill of the cold night air.</p><p> </p><p>Once he finished shuddering from the breeze that briefly attacked him upon his triumphant exit, Lloyd quickly turned to face Mouse.</p><p> </p><p>The horse looked thoroughly annoyed at his owner for having decided to pack so much food and water into his saddle. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t look at me like that.” The blonde jokingly ordered as he reached for the animal’s reins. “Look it’s not my fault. You know how Nya is. She can’t help ,but be overly protec-”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you always talk to your animals?” A gruff voice suddenly asked with a less than subtle mocking undertone.</p><p> </p><p>Eyes widening, Lloyd spun around to see the silhouette of what appeared to be a middle aged man with narrowed pale blue eyes and a beard almost more rogued looking than Wu’s.</p><p> </p><p>‘Mr. Shaw!’ The blonde dumbly realized as he started to sputter out a response. Before he could get a coherent word out though, the middle aged man decided to speak again. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m coming with you.”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>ATTENTION!!!!!!!!!!!!</p><p>If you haven’t already noticed, I’ve changed the rating on this story to a Mature rating! I’ve also added more tags that include heavy subject matter. I would suggest checking those tags out before you read this story any further!</p><p>Disclaimer: Since this is now a mature rated story there will be no censored cursing! Other then that are no warnings for this chapter though, the heavy stuff will not come into play until much MUCH later in the story. I still wanted to let y'all know though that way everyone's fully aware of the rating change!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>         <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” Lloyd asked, feigning confusion as he leaned back to gouge the man’s seriousness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “I’m coming with you.” Mr. Shaw flatly repeated as he began to mount his horse, a spotted Appaloosa, whose beady eyes seemed to peer into the nearest possessor of a soul it could find. It was almost comical to imagine it trotting beside Lloyd’s golden Quarab, Mouse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yes, quite comical especially since it wasn’t going to happen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sir,” The sheriff paused his not quite so silver tongue twisting itself into knots as he tried to speak delicately. “I...understand that you're concerned for your wife and I can see how you would want to jump into action to save her. Departed Realm knows if I had one I would be too , however this situation requires careful procedure and the efforts of a professional.” Lloyd explained, fighting the instinctual urge to gesture to his currently nonexistent sheriff badge. “So surely you can see why having you come along would only hinder your wife’s rescu-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you say the same thing If I were one of your ranching buddies?” Mr. Shaw challenged, making the blonde have to bite his tongue, lest he accidentally utter something..</span>
  <em>
    <span>impolite</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you’re referring to the Dareth farm boys, then yes.” Lloyd answered honestly. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>because</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>they’ve been given official permission from the mayer to act as deputy stand ins, incase of emergen-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well lucky me,” Mr Shaw said, smirking as he produced a crumpled piece of parchment paper from his ragged coat. The bright red unmistakable official seal of Mayer approval immediately catching Lloyd’s gaze causing it to widen considerably. “I happened to have exactly that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before the blonde could sputter a response, Mr. Shaw was already kicking his heels up, causing his horse to begin lazily moving forward. “Well, best to take off now before it gets dark.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Soldier,Princess,Sheriff</em>
  </b>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>There were many things to abhor about deserts. The dangerous critters, the limited places to get a damn drink, and the heat oh fuck the heat could be downright murderous on certain occasions, that was an undeniable truth. However what bothered Bonnie the most was the wind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wind on the sea was a blessing., a lifesaving miracle. However wind on the desert was as close to a death sentence as God could give to man. Bonnie wasn’t sure if she had trained her body or it trained itself out of sheer survival instinct to sense any oncoming storm (which thankfully had yet to feel the familiar warning shake of an oncoming desert storm) and she currently did not possess the time nor desire to care. Her focus was instead trained on subtly untying the rope binding her wrists behind her back without her captors noticing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That actually turned out to be quite easy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dammit! How the hell have we not reached Bogtown yet! The map said it was only 5 miles away.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘Do you ever shut up, Wrayth?’ Bonnie sarcastically inquired as she strained against the urge to roll her eyes at the man currently bemoaning his oh so rotten luck to his large sackhead toting partner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The masked man did not immediately reply, (surprising no one) instead opting to point to where Wrayth's thumb was currently presiding over the 0 that turned those 5 miles into 50.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you fucking serious! Dammit, guess we’ll have to stop for the night at some point huh Ghoultar. Do you think we should wait till we cross over Wisp River?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man (Bonnie refused to refer to him with that ridiculous nickname Wrayth obviously came up with on the fly) simply shrugged in response, causing Wrayth to abruptly direct his attention at Bonnie.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well Bansha, how are you holding up?” It took every ounce of strength within Bonnie to resist the urge of backward headbutting her captor for the use of that fucking stupid ass nickname. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Think you can make it and don’t go lying saying you’re tired on purpose just so you can try and escape. You remember how well I can tell when you be’ lying.” Wrayth unflinchingly promised as he adjusted his grip around her. A pity, she was truly hoping it would loosen enough so she could at least slip off long enough to escape the tortuous stench of that lousy mule he called a horse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“First off, don’t you dare call me that again. Second if you want the God’s honest truth then yes, I would very much like to stop and rest for the night. Sorry if that upsets you I just suppose my body has grown used to the comforts of not having to sleep on the floor of a cargo train.” Bonnie huffed, throwing her head back long enough to stare into the one part of Wrayth’s face that always remained visible, his dark as fuck bronze eyes. For as long as she had known the man, he had never once revealed more than those two golden red orbs, leaving the left of his face constantly obscured under a thick visage of pure white bandages that adorned just about every inch of his body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For some reason the likes of which she didn’t feel the desire to identify, that simple fact frustrated Bonnie to no end. At least ghou- fucking dammnit the </span>
  <em>
    <span>other one</span>
  </em>
  <span>, kept </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> of his face hidden instead of being an absolute fucking tease to the men he killed, ruthlessly mocking them about how they would never know the identity of the man responsible for sending them to meet their maker. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey hey I ain’t judging you.” Wrayth asquised releasing his horse’s rein to jokingly lift his hands up in mock surrender. “Just I know how you are. Can’t help ,but scheme can you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Bonnie had not realized what Wrayth had just said to her (her mind too busy trying to maneuver her hands to get those damn knots undone already) until it was too late and she felt a bandaged had on her wrists, the knot of her binds quickly retightening around her slim wrists to the point Bonnie worried she might lose circulation in them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck!” The woman couldn’t help ,but curse, causing Wrayth to let out a low chuckle. “Sorry, gonna have to try harder than that. Here I thought I was being kind, not making those knots too tight for yer delicate wrists. Guess I can never let my guard around you, can I Bansha?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you to stop callin’ me that.” Bansha retorted, fighting the urge to let her features morph into a childish pout. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah I heard you.” The bronze eyed man replied sounding bored. “Honestly tho’ I don’t get why it makes you so mad. Personally I thought it was  pretty clever, still is. You know cause you’re name is Bonnie Sha-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Wrayth I’m fully aware of your fucking ridiculous rational. You’ve reminded me enough times it’s not easy to forget.” Bonnie sighed, exaggeratedly rolling her lavender eyes into a full circle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wrath hummed as he scratched his masked chin, obviously kicking his feeble mind into overdrive to find something else to blather about. For some reason silence always seemed more potent to the man than rattlesnake venom.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Heh, did you see the look on Archie’s face when we left him hogged tied to y’all’s porch! I swear it would have been great if Boss told us to take him too ‘stead just of you. But, you know how she is, can’t disobey orders am I right.” The bandaged man mused, playfully jabbing Bonnie in the side as if all this could be considered nothing more than complete and utter normalcy. “Course, maybe that’s fo’ the best. Archie probably pissed as hell right now and I don’t need to be having to deal with that shit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well you’re gonna have to.” Bonnie spitefully rebutted, unable to stop herself from coming to the defense of her husband’s honor. Well as much honor as either of them could possess. “ You know </span>
  <em>
    <span>Archer’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>not going to just sit back and let y’all haul me off to God knows where.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah.” Wrayth sighed nonchalantly . “I have no doubt the old bastard’s already on our trail. Still it won’t matter,” The bandaged man calmly stated, the volume of his voice suddenly dropping to a throaty baritone. “Because we got one fucking hell of a head start and besides that ol’e, Archie ain’t nothing compared to me and Ghoultar. Ain’t that right partner!” Wrayth shouted, his inflection rising back to it’s jovially high pitched melody. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘You poor man.’ Bonnie thought as she stared at the man Wrayth’s ‘partner’. Miss Prem must have it out for the large man (at least large compared to his comrade’s scrawny form) if he was forced to team up with Mr. Chatterbox. Bonnie couldn’t remember much about Gho- the man (didn’t even get his name), before she and her husband finally decided to leave </span>
  <em>
    <span>them </span>
  </em>
  <span>and find a nice quiet town to settle down in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look how well that turned out.” Bonnie sarcastically murmured to herself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What was that?” Wrayth abruptly inquired, his curious gaze pinning her like a throwing knife.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After mentally letting loose a string of harsh swears a the repeated nickname, Bonnie eventually worked up the effort to respond with, “I said, where exactly are y’all taking me to anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was probably useless asking again, but who knows maybe 8 hours was enough for Wrayth to change his mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can’t say.” Wrayth tersely replied. “All you need to know is that Boss wants to see you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite her best efforts Bonnie could not herself from shuddering at the thought of having to face </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> again. It had been three years now, since they left. Bonnie had promised herself they would never meet again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh how fate could be so cruel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey don’t get all nervous on me now.” Wrayth casually commanded, apparently sensing the bound woman’s unease. “There’s nothing to worry about Bonnie, Boss probably just needs some information or somethin’” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bandaged man’s attempts at comfort hardly got through to Bonnie though she had already lost herself in the thousand and one possible scenarios in which she could end up digging up her own grave. She was so consumed by her own thoughts she almost didn’t register the fact that Wrayth had not called her Bansha.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>SoliderPrincessSheriff</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After hours of galloping through the desert as it gradually became shrouded under the purple hue of a starry night sky, Lloyd and Mr. Shaw’s horses eventually had to slow down into a casual trott to regain energy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the sound of rushing air resistance died down, the blonde sheriff decided now might be a good time for some amiable conversation with his travel companion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I believe we should reach the border in another four hours. If we keep at it through the night then hopefully we’ll be able to reach it around the same times as the suspects.” Lloyd casually explained narrowly resisting the urge to frown when Mr. Shaw simply grunted a short “Ok.” in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So,... I assume you’re armed?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You bet your ass.” Mr. Shaw gruffly replied, his crooked pale eyes never straying from the horizon as he roughly lifted up the end of his large coat to show off the silhouette of a gun holster protruding off of his hip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright…..So I think now’s a good time to go over some mandatory procedure, so should we come into contact with the suspects you know you don’t pull out your arm till I give the okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At Mr. Shaw’s confirming nod, Lloyd hummed as his fidgety hands began to occupy themselves by twisting the ends of Mouse’s reigns between his red fingertips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t that he had anything against the man. How could he? He barely knew him...and that was the problem. Jamanakaitown was what some may call a close knit community. Don’t get it twisted outside visitors were a more than accepted frequency however when it came to the actual citizens…..the number had not really changed much in the fifty years, and when it had it was more often than not a person departing from the town. So when a middle aged couple with seemingly no children of any kind suddenly showed up three years ago. It was more than a little surprising, especially when considering the fact they knew absolutely no one and did not seem interested in changing that. They kept to themselves, and it was a downright rarity to see them away from the ancient blue house they housed themselves in a couple miles from town. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And now, out of bum fucking nowhere Mrs. Shaw suddenly gets kidnapped. To say the current circumstances were tethering on the edge between strange and downright suspicious was the understatement of the year.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>What baffled Lloyd even more was the fact Mr. Jadesen decided to give Mr. Shaw his seal of approval to come along! What was the mayor thinking!? Lloyd knew for a fact Mr. Shaw had received no deputy training, because he would have been supervising it!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then again maybe Mr. Jadesen was simply </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> empathetic. It-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So...you got a plan, you know since they’ll undoubtedly be armed as well.” Mr. Shaw suddenly asked, tearing through Lloyd’s thoughts with the blunt veracity of a razor sharp pair of Grundle Hog jaws.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, since it’ll be an official arrest, we’ll have to make our intentions known and if the criminals refuse to comply, then...ol’ green dragon will just have to make an appearance,” Lloyd flatly explained, gesturing to his gun holster. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you fucking serious?” Mr. Shaw abruptly asked, his gritty inflection never raising itself above a sarcastic mumble despite his clearly angered tone. “My wife’s life is at stake and that’s your damn plan?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now it was Lloyd’s turn to grunt and sigh in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sir I understand your frustration ,but I’ve been sheriff for five years now and I have yet to let a life get lost on the job and I sure as hell don’t plan to start now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Surprisingly enough, Mr. Shaw responded with a low chuckle soon followed by a dramatic eye roll. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pft, trust” He mumbly chortled. “You expect me to trust you when you don’t trust me. Fuck is the law always this hypocritical&gt;”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Lloyd could feign denial, Mr. Shaw’s knowing gaze had already forced the words back down his throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh please, you think I can’t tell? Hate to break it to you,but you’re not as subtle as you think.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quickly deciding to try another verbal route, Lloyd simply replied. “Okay well, you’re the one who decided to come along. Sorry to break it </span>
  <em>
    <span>to you</span>
  </em>
  <span> ,but if you got a problem with my company you’re free to turn around.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Predictably enough that seemed to shut the older man up. At least for now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Soldier,Princess,Sheriff</em>
  </b>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Of all the horrendous tortures Wrayth and his partner could inflict on her they just</span>
  <em>
    <span> had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to settle down for camp right next to Wisp River.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bonnie couldn’t help ,but groan for the upteenth time as she twisted left and right ( a feat most difficult with her left ankle tied to a large metal nail in the ground) before pointlessly shoving her thin blanket over her head to try in vain to block out the subtle yet persistent sound of rushing water that refused to allow her even a modicum of rest beneath the starry night sky.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then again she’d most likely be struggling to cross over into the land of slumber regardless, if not for the nonexistent comforts of her makeshift bed than for the sheer stress of feeling sackhead’s (it wasn’t the most flattering name, but it was a hell of a lot better than fucking Ghoultar) invisible eyes on her, as he stood guard over the rest of the sleeping company.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To distract herself from the man’s attention Bonnie turned her gaze across the river, her mind began to play a silent challenge with itself to count the number of waves lazily cascading along the river’s flowing current. Soon enough the challenge began to succeed in fulfilling its desired purpose and Bonnie found herself slowly descending into the land of unconsciousness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, for some reason or other God really seemed to have it out for her, because before she could even experimentally close her eyes, she suddenly caught sight of a pair of bright yellow orbs peering at the camp from the safety of a tree branch stretched out from across the other side of the river.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For what felt like the span of a thousand years in the firey chasm of hell, Bonnie could do nothing more than stare at the eyes, utterly frozen in place as her heart beat pounded against her ears with the force of a buffalo stampede. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The eyes didn’t seem to notice her attention however- for some baffling reason they seemed trained on Wrayth’s sleeping form- until the last second when they briefly strayed from the unconscious bandaged man towards Sackhead. Then as Bonnie’s eyes finally gave into the undeniable want to blink, the golden pupils were gone and the only trace of their existence was Bonnie’s own foggy memory.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Soldier,Princess,Sheriff</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘Finally!’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was so close. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was going to find him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was going to find him and this...this </span>
  <em>
    <span>man</span>
  </em>
  <span> was the key.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The excitement was almost too much to handle. Like a hummingbird was fluttering it’s fantastic, beautiful wings within her chest, threatening to burst its way out her throat at any moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wanted to scream, to tear her lungs to shreds with a wonderful joyous cacophony.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, she knew she couldn’t do that. Not yet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So….for now she had to settle for a quiet, hoarse whisper that not even the multiple flies fluttering about her hair and face could hear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Soon,.....soon I’ll find you. …….</span>
  <b>Morro</b>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for reading! I really appreciate it! Also any and all criticism/commentary is welcome and I would love to hear any one of y'all's thoughts/opinion in a comment! (if you want to do that I mean, not tryna forcing anyone here. X3)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. In The Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sorry Wrayth.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bonnie was unaware how long she spent focusing her aged gaze on that single tree branch,but she'd be lying if she claimed she had even half of a mind to care.</p><p>The possessor of those eyes were taunting her, she could feel it. They were still there, no doubt. Bonnie was getting on in her years ,but she was certain she hadn't reached hallucination levels of crazyness just yet. Then again how would she know, does a crazy person know they're crazy?</p><p>Bonnie shot up from her bedroll, shaking her head with hopefully enough force to rival that of a steam engine if it meant riding her skull from those fool's thoughts (She was both unaware and uncaring if that damned sack wearing creep was ogling her. She'd rather be shoved in a crate with a live Devourer snake then prioritize a visage of ladylike gracefulness over her own sanity.)</p><p>'Okay Bonnie, think they haven't made their presence known, at least to Wrayth or Sackhead yet so they must be waitin' for something.'</p><p>She briefly considered the possibility of confiding in one of her captor's before she remembered the fact that one, Wrayth was an idiot, and Sackhead was sure as hell not going to give two shits about the word of a woman he'd been sent to kidnap.</p><p>What exactly this person (creature?) was after , Bonnie hadn't the slightest clue ,but she figured she also didn't have much a choice ,but to keep her nerve and find out.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong> </em>
</p><p>The desert seemed to gradually chill with each passing hour and Wrayth was once again thankful for his bandages, otherwise his skin just might have succumbed to the ruthless blade of cold air and lay there perfectly vulnerable to it's icy stab leaving not even the barest scrap of flesh on his aching bones in its blood lust. He'd be nothing more than a hollow husk,useful for not even any passing buzzards to pick at. Hell, at this rate Wrayth was beginning to fear the moon itself might become frozen in the sky, leaving the horizon trapped in perpetual night for all eternity.</p><p>And yet still, Wrayth could not make himself rejoice come tomorrow.</p><p>Because with tomorrow came the encroaching guilt steadily building it's way up his throat.</p><p>Some comrade he was.</p><p>O'le Archie must want to kill him right now.</p><p>Well at least Haircut <em>might</em> try to protect him just like,... <em>old times</em>.</p><p>Wrayth's nerves began to make his stomach clench into a tight unpleasant knot as his mind wandered to flashes of memory long forgotten within the recesses of his soul.</p><p>All at once arbitrary images of burning dirt and flesh, of high pitched led shells pinning themselves to their victim's heart not unlike those motherfucking 'glory' medals, and of red stained boots haphazardly scrubbed away by equally crimson finger tips, started assaulting his senses and it required every ounce of his will power to pull away from them, in time to notice the loud thrum of Bonnie's snoring suddenly shattering the tentative silence held over the sparse camp.</p><p>'Light sleeper my ass ' Wrayth bemusedly thought as he bid farewell to the now appealing lull of the river's rampant wavelets.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong> </em>
</p><p>Steady.</p><p>Breathe.</p><p>In.</p><p>Out.</p><p>Repeat.</p><p>Ok.</p><p>Ready.</p><p>Aim.</p><p>
  <strong>Fire.</strong>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong> </em>
</p><p>As the sun's smoldering luminescence descended upon the desert horizon and all its inhabitants, Lloyd's gaze was trained on the galloping figure miles ahead of him.</p><p>Mr. Shaw hadn't said much else throughout the course of the night just took off again, leaving the blonde sheriff to trail behind him like a lost hound.</p><p>Their horses ran throughout the rest of the night only stopping once or twice to rest.</p><p>They went so fast, Lloyd was actually beginning to believe they might make it to Bogtown (the most logical place for the criminal's to run off to considering it was the only place within 50 miles of Jamanikaitown that had a train station) before the next nightfall.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong> </em>
</p><p>Bonnie couldn't have imagined the sight she'd be greeted with when she reluctantly slid her eyelids open to the sun's obnoxious morning glare.</p><p>Wrayth was gone.</p><p>And Gho-<strong>dammit</strong>, Sackhead was on his knees rolling up the bandaged man's previously occupied sleeping matt.</p><p>"Did he have to piss or something?" Bonnie called out, not expecting an answer.</p><p>"Last night, something hit neck." Came a sudden gravelly reply followed by gloved finger gesturing towards the clothed jugular of the sack head wearing man.</p><p>Bonnie's eyes threatened to widen as she struggled to keep her expression neutral.</p><p>The man continued.</p><p>"I collapsed, when I wake couple hour later, he gone and so is horse." The old woman could only assume he was referring to Wrayth as he finally finished rolling up the chatterbox's dusty bed mat and stood up.</p><p>For a fraction of a second, Bonnie considered cowering as the behamanth slowly walked towards her and leaned down.</p><p>In a flash of silver coated light, her leg rope was cut and she firmly placed on her feet thanks to Sackhead's unrelenting grip on her upper elbow.</p><p>"We leave now." Sackhead abruptly decided as he none too gently steered the old woman towards the campsite's only remaining horse.</p><p>"What?" She managed to splutter out as her lithe frame was hefted up onto the man's too large saddle.</p><p>..it couldn't be...those...those...<strong>eyes</strong></p><p>This..this was insane!</p><p>"You mean you're just gonna leave him behind! I thought y'all were partners!" The old woman refused to admit it was anger staining her vocal cords even though she knew that's exactly what it was.</p><p>Sackhead refrained from replying as he loaded up Bonnie and Wrayth's bed mats onto his horse before joining Bonnie up on his oversized saddle.</p><p>"You said you were hit with something well what if he was kidnapped or some shit?!" Now wouldn't that be ironic.</p><p>"Doesn't matter. Orders." The man tersely explained.</p><p>Bonnie was stuck in a strange euphoria of not believing her ears whilst at the same time utterly unsurprised as she whirled her head around to glare into the vacant holes of the man's sloppily cut fabric eyes.</p><p>"You really tellin me you got shot in the neck with Hell know what last night, passed out, and now your fucking partner's missing and you just gonna carry on like nothing's happened!? Do you realize how insane you sound right now!?"</p><p>"...orders." The man repeated like a prayer. With nothing more to add, Sackhead kicked his horse into movement and they were off.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong> </em>
</p><p>Wrayth felt like a corkscrew had been taken right to the core of his brain as he gradually became away of the jostling of a horse trot gentle swaying his limp body from side to sid-</p><p>Wait a hog fucking second.</p><p>Since when did he sleep with his arms trussed behind his back.</p><p>In an instant Wrayth's bronze gaze was considerably wider as he snapped his neck to the sound of soft humming emanating from the lithe figure firmly snapping the reins of wait were they on <em>his </em>horse!?</p><p>"Okay, what the fuck is going on here?" The bandaged man impatiently demanded. "How did you get past Ghoultar that guy's a mammoth."</p><p>No immediate reply was sent his way, at least not a verbal one.</p><p>What he got instead was a sideways glance casually tossed his way, and that's when Wrayth realized his latest companion was a woman (he couldn't imagine a man with hair that blonde),...a woman with the freakiest eyes he had ever seen ,but definitely a woman- if the raggedy grey dress he had finally managed to notice was any clue.</p><p>His assumption was gifted with a prominent confirmation in the form of a mirthfully restrained voice.</p><p>"Oh you're awake." The woman pointed out, with a closed eye smile as genuine as venom disguised beneath a layer of sweet booze.</p><p>In Wrayth's experience such a sight was rarely a sign of good fortune yet to come.</p><p>"Hey, you're not that gal I bang-<em>met </em>back in Kamara City right?"</p><p>Her silence sent him into a slight panic.</p><p>"Cause if you are I just want to say that I had no idea that was your twin sist-"</p><p>The woman cut him off with a hearty giggle.</p><p>"Oh, you're a funny one,but I'm really sorry I just can't have you awake just yet."</p><p>The strange woman explained as her hand slowly descended to the pouch loosely hanging off her side. Her hand dove in and when it came out there existed an ugly looking doctor's needle with an even uglier green liquid sloshing around inside.</p><p>Wrayth felt his teeth clench as his lungs abruptly quit on him.</p><p>"Don't worry." His captor quietly commanded like a military order. "This'll only put you out till we get to Bogtown." She explained as she reached out a thin hand to firmly grasp the back of the bandaged man's neck. Wrayth might've thought to struggle were it not for her lightning fast reflexes already allowing the needle's metal bite to pierce his skin through the slim cracks of his bandages.</p><p>It burned.</p><p>The last thing Wrayth heard before he was lost to darkness was,</p><p>"Oh how rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself. Name's Harumi."</p><p>Huh, that sounded ….familiar.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong> </em>
</p><p><em> <strong>Name</strong> </em> <em>: Walter Jeffrey Anderson.</em></p><p><em> <strong>Age</strong> </em> <em>: 19</em></p><p><strong>Origin</strong>: Renasburg</p><p><em> <strong>Rank</strong> </em> <em>: Private</em></p><p><em> <strong>Additional Info</strong> </em> <em>:</em></p><p>
  <em>Served Four consecutive years under  Commander Randall Lawrence during Serpentine Wars.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Last known surviving member of Squad T15.</em>
</p><p>Currently Discharged</p><p>Five months of searching, she finally found him.</p><p>It had to be him.</p><p>The bandages of course made it hard to tell, but his eyes….</p><p>They matched the one's in his ID photo perfectly.</p><p>As Harumi stared down at the picture of a young man whose skin was still a healthy tan not shielded beneath hollow white armor, and whose bronze eyes blankly were staring back at her with the kind of muted joy pretty much expected with those slow as hell new fangled cam-er-as, Harumi's own uncanny gaze could not help ,but for the thousand time be drawn back to the papers, stapled just beneath Private Anderson's.</p><p>
  <em><strong>Name: </strong>Morro Montgomery Wu</em>
</p><p>
  <em><strong>Age :</strong>17</em>
</p><p>
  <em><strong>Origin:</strong> Jamanikaitown</em>
</p><p>
  <em><strong>Rank: </strong>Lieutenant</em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>Additional Info</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Served Four consecutive years under Commander Randall Lawrence during Serpentine Wars.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lead Squad T15 in Battle of the Gorge.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Currently Missing in Action.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you guys liked this chapter! What did y'all think, pls let me know!</p><p> Also so, please pleeeeeaaase know this is not supposed to be an accurate depiction of any military that isn't fictional. </p><p>Well that's all for now till next time! Have a great day-er night and stay safe y'all!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Buried</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Some backstory YAYYY also I made some art for this fanfic just because I wanted to if you want to see it go to https://purplecolatrickster.tumblr.com/</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Lloyd blew out a relieved breath as the glimmering edge of the Wisp river abruptly came into view. They really had almost made it to Bogtown, and it was only an hour or so away from sunset. Unable to help himself, the sheriff sent his elder companion a knowing look (not that Mr. Shaw would be able to see it) and hightailed it across the bridge in order to catch up.</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>The world around him gradually fazed into focus like the eventual decline of a spinning dime. His limbs almost immediately felt the jolting ache of stiffness whilst his other senses were busy being assaulted by the smell of 3 cent perfume and the gagging sight of ugly red and pink paint plastered unto a rotted ceiling.</p><p>'Ok if I'm not in a brot-'</p><p>Wrayth wasn't allowed to think more than that as the sound of a door slamming open and then shut erupted against his ear drums like a shotgun. As he forced his strained neck to turn his sideways (only then realizing he was laying on bed), the criminal was met with the sight of a messily dressed woman whose bleached bangs immediately signaled a reminder of the day's earlier….<em>events</em>...well that and the dim realization that his hands and ankles were still tied together.</p><p>Huh, oh right, he was kidnapped.</p><p>"Oh finally" The woman- no wait, Harumi, that's right- sighed as she dutifully made her way towards a rickety old bedside chair. With her hat discarded somewhere on the floor, Wrayth could plainly see the way her messy hair just barely hovered above her earlobes and the dull smudge of dirt and ash smeared across her cheeks.</p><p>Harumi sighed again as she sat down and raised a ringed finger to push back a tangled hair strand, whilst she used her other to shove a lit cigarette between her pale lips. "I was getting scared, you'd never wake up. That damned snake oil salesman didn't tell me the stuff was so fucking strong."</p><p>Wrayth's eyes were stuck between the urge to widen and narrow all at once. His throat felt strangely dry all the sudden and he couldn't find the words to save his life.</p><p>Then the rustic glittering of glass captured his peripherals as his insane captor reached out towards him.</p><p>"Want some water?" Harumi kindly asked as the condensation of the water glass in her grasp dripped down the sides like racing slugs.</p><p>Wrayth huffed, shaking his head. Like hell she didn't poison it.</p><p>Harumi shrugged and smashed the remaining end of her cigarette into the metal bedpost.</p><p>"Alright then it looks like we can get to the part where you answer my questions Mr, uh.." The blonde paused to glance down at the stack of papers in her lap (how did he not notice those till now?) "Anderson." Harumi finished, with a slow unsettling grin encroaching onto her face.</p><p>Wrayth would have rolled off the bed if he could.</p><p>Instead he forced a chuckle.</p><p>"Care to tell me where you got that name, sweetheart?" Hopefully that pissed her off (it sure as hell worked with every other woman he'd ever met). Anger was good, angry people didn't pay attention to details, like the subtle shifting of arms as someone steadily loosened their bonds.</p><p>Harumi may have been raging like someone possessed on the inside or utterly entranced by the window drapes and Wrayth would have been none the wiser as he kept his eyes trained on her smiling features.</p><p>Then, "Well it's hard not to the name of a war hero." The blonde all ,but sang as she lifted the papers in her lap up for her captive to see.</p><p>'Shit.' Wrayth inwardly cursed as his bandaged fingers struggled to get a good grip on the ropes. 'Of course! No one bothered to burn his file. He knew he should have taken care of it when they left those fucking caves-'</p><p>"This is you isn't it?" Harumi asked as she traced her ringed finger upon the photographed face of a young man whose eyes were the only features Wrayth could recall as his own. "Last surviving member of troop T15? You take a gnarly photograph by the way"</p><p>"Ok what the hell is this?" The bandaged man asked with more honesty than even he thought himself able to possess. "Who even are you and what are you after?"</p><p>Not to mention <em>how </em>exactly did this crazy bimbo get her hands on his file wasn't that shit supposed to be fucking classified?</p><p>"Well," Harumi hummed, sarcastically "Actually Mr. Anderson, it's pretty simple I just need to inquire about a former fellow soldier in your troop if you don't mind."</p><p>"Oh really?" Wrayth had already shut down his cognitive awareness of anything besides the difficult knot tightly clutches between his loose fingertips. The sooner he escaped the sooner he could find his fucking partner and get back to not reliving his days in that f**king shitty ass pathetic excuse of an army.</p><p>"His name was Morro Wu-"</p><p>Wrayth froze and all the sudden every limb in his body felt succumbed to some nonexistent frostbite.</p><p>He was only kept within the realm of reality as Harumi's voice invaded his thoughts like an ivy.</p><p>"<em>Walter</em>, I need you tell me what happened to him."</p><p>Aside from wincing in remembrance of that shitty ass fucking name his father had cursed him with from birth the outlaw could do no more than reply with the same mindless intent he did with every other lost widow, son,or daughter that came to him after the war.</p><p>"He died."</p><p>"Ok ,but see that's what the messenger soldier told me as well when he came to town," Harumi explained as she fished out another stack of crumpled papers just barely still stapled together. "But then when I traveled up to the Administration Morro's file actually said missing in action, not deceased now can you tell me why that is?"</p><p>Wrayth groaned. "It's cause we didn't have a body so it's protocol to call 'em 'Missing in Action'."</p><p>A stifling silence fell over the dingy room and that gave the bandit just enough time to notice the way his captor's surprisingly bruised knuckles turned white against her unyieldingly clenched hold on the papers.</p><p>"I don't believe that." Harumi admitted as she looked back up at Wrayth. "My father served in the War too, way back when it first began and he told me you would never declare a soldier missing in action unless there was no proof they actually die-"</p><p>"Yeah well I hate to break it to you <em>sweetheart</em>," Two times the charm. "But things change over the course of Seventy-Four fucking years-"</p><p>"Did you see it then?"</p><p>"What?" Wrayth asked stuck between feeling annoyed, confused, weary or all three at once.</p><p>"Do you see him die?"</p><p>'Yes, yes I did.'</p><p>"I...he was caught off guard by a grenade." Wrayth replied with instead. Not technically a lie. "There's no way he could've survived." Now that <em>was</em> a lie.</p><p>Harumi's mouth slid shut and the outlaw didn't know if it was out of devastation or suspicion all he knew was that he had yet another moment of silence to focus on increasing the give in his bonds. Just a little more and his hands would be free, for fuck's sake c'mon-</p><p>Suddenly at that exact moment the sound of muffled voices snuck its way into the room through the thin as shit walls.</p><p>"Mr. Shaw, what are we doing here?! We need to get to Bogtown's train station before-"</p><p>"I'm not here for lollygagging kid, I just know that idiot weasel can't resist getting drunk off his ass when he thinks he's got the lead."</p><p>'What the- How the hell did that old sack of bones catch up already?!'</p><p>"Shit" Wrayth cursed aloud without thinking and that was ultimately his downfall because in the next second the soft footsteps outside the door halted.</p><p>"Now what is it Mr. Sha-"</p><p>"Shut up." A breathless moment passed most likely or all parties involved and then. "Did you hear that?"</p><p>'Shit,shit,shit,shit,shit,SHIT!' The bandit thought, smart enough to keep his panicked curses in his head this time.</p><p>Through the exhilarating trepidation Wrayth looked back at Harumi. His captor was no worse for wear, with her eyes wide and confused as she trained them on the door.</p><p>At this point the captive was unsure whose hands would be worse to fall into, so with nothing left to lose, Wrayth focused all his remaining mental functionality on getting that last tight little fucking knot undone. Then at least he'd have a chance.</p><p>However in a cruel twist of fate right as he'd accomplished that modest goal, Harumi finally broke out of her self induced trance as the old rickety door to their room was slowly pushed</p><p>open.</p><p>In a flurry of movement so fast Wrayth worried about the possibility of whiplash, he was suddenly on his bound feet, the useless rope around his hands falling to the ground as the not so subtle end of a gun muzzle was pressed unyieldingly harsh against his bandaged skin.</p><p>Eyes wide, he watched as the splintery door was wedged to the side and in it's hollow entrance stood a dumb ass looking blond(law enforcement probably if the chains hanging off his belt was anything to judge by) and by his head one angry as hell Archie whose weapon's aim was pointed directly at him.</p><p>Wrayth might have swallowed nervously were it not for the gun holding his adam's apple hostage. Archer never missed.</p><p>"Is the guy-" The boy's stupid question was thankfully cut off.</p><p>"You bet your ass, I'd recognize that idiot's face anywhere."</p><p>"HEY-"</p><p>"Ok, Sir you need to surrender now or we will be forced to take violent action." The blond proclaimed as he pulled out his own gun. Why was it so green? Looks stupid as hell.</p><p>"Well I don't if you can see fellas ,but I'm a little held up at the moment." Wrayth annoyedly explained as he gestured to the fucking gun at his neck.</p><p>At that moment, the two men seemed to finally recognize Harumi's presence as she in return stepped forward slightly out of the shadows that had been partially obscuring her before.</p><p>Out of his peripheral's Wrayth could just barely see his captor begin to open her mouth.</p><p>"Listen," Her voice was stiffer than before. "Officers," Bold of her to assume Archer could be anything related to the law in the slightest. " I'd be happy to release this man to your custody once I've got the information I need from hi-"</p><p>Whatever else justification Harumi was about to spout off was silenced by the deafening sound of dumb ass blond cop's gun clattering to the floor.</p><p>What followed shortly after was an almost timid muttering of, "H-Harumi?"</p><p>'Huh? Is this bimbo some infamous crime lord or something?!'</p><p>Wrayth fought the urge to recoil in surprise as the boy took a step forward his arm stretched out like he was reaching for heaven.</p><p>At the same time the bandaged man suddenly felt the gun's embrace around his Adam's apple begin to ease as his captor's shocked voice entered the mix.</p><p>"Lloyd?!"</p><p>'Ok seriously what hell is going on here?'</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>Had Sackhead's hand not been currently gripping her forearm, just a few flexes away from breaking it she might've had the courage to smash through the glass of the train window with her tea cup and jump out onto the unmoving dirt.</p><p>Unfortunately that idea would have to remain within the realm of her subconscious as she slowly raised the cup to sip from instead. The tea was cold, and nowhere near flavorful enough to calm her nerves ,but at least the solid weight against her tongue kept her from carving even more flesh out of her bottom lip.</p><p>All Bonnie could do as she stared out at the rapidly disappearing Bogtown, was pray. For herself, for her husband, and the next person who ordered that fucking awful tea.</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>For ten summers straight his brother had sent the kid to stay with him. Sometimes a week, sometimes a month, the years blurred together so quickly Wu couldn't keep track of them anymore, but..what he could remember was the first time the little brat showed up on his door step.</p><p>
  <em>The boy was short. Even for a seven year old, and his teeth were gaped almost comically wide whilst his eyes held that kind of mossy green you only see in foreign paintings from overseas, not that you'd be able to tell really with how low his bull cut bangs hung over the upper half of his features like an umbrella. He was a skinny too, skinny and pale ,but that would change soon with a couple days out on the ranch. Wu was sure.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lloyd's gaze seemed to go right through him as he tried to peek past the doorway towards the farmhouse's interior. His big brown suitcase remained forgotten next to the obvious train attendant unfortunate enough to be asked to escort the boy to his address.</em>
</p><p>"<em>So this is the residence of a Mr. Wu?"</em></p><p>"<em>Yes," He tersely answered. "Thanks for bringing him here, you have a nice day now." Before the woman could utter a word more, the blond boy wordlessly grabbed the handle of his luggage and barged inside leaving just enough time for Wu to sigh and gruffly offer one more good bye to the attendant before closing the door shut.</em></p><p>
  <em>A moment later, after the woman's footsteps had long since retreated, Wu hesitantly turned to find the boy already testing the strength of his rocking chair as he excitedly bounced up and down upon it like a baby bullfrog.</em>
</p><p>"<em>So what's there to do here? Dad says there used to be a lake a little ways from town can we go visit that and see if it's still there, I hope it is cause I've been wanting to learn how to swim Mom said the rivers near the city were too dangerous for me ,but I think she'd be alright with a lak-"</em></p><p>"<em><strong>First</strong></em><em>," Wu said, hoping to stop the boy's ramblings with a firm tone. "things first, I need you unpack in the guest room upstairs, then I need you down here ready to go, I gotta go to town to pick up some stuff. Got that?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Whether Lloyd was genuinely surprised someone dare interrupt him or he was simply registering his orders, the farmer had no idea. Not that mattered cause whatever it was, it did the trick and the blond silently scurried up stairs, only slightly struggling under the weight of his bag.</em>
</p><p><em>Wu sighed in relief as he walked towards the kitchen table to grab his list, then thinking </em><em><strong>purely</strong></em> <em>out of convenience gently picked up the black wooden box he carved 'Fragile' into earlier and strolled out the screen door to wait for his nephew.</em></p><p>
  <em>The blond came running down a few minutes later, not even offering his temporary housemate a hello before he was tumbling off the front porch like a man on fire.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Curse his aging bones, Wu actually had to jog to catch up with the boy's perpetual sprint as they made their way down the ranch's dusty road.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Wait!" The older man shouted after him. "Slow down!" His brother must have kept the boy pent up in that city if he had this much energy!</em></p><p>
  <em>When he eventually managed to catch up Lloyd by some miracle, he grabbed the back of his shirt collar and pulled them both down to an average speed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wu barely got out a panting breath before he was launching into berating his nephew. "Dammit, nephew when I say slow down I ain't kidding. You-"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why? It's not like I'm gonna run into something way out here." Lloyd smartly replied with a smirk, gesturing to the wide open space surrounding them.</em></p><p>
  <em>The old man's eye twitched before he retorted. "Alright, just for that you're going straight to bed when we get home."</em>
</p><p>"<em>What?" Lloyd exclaimed, sounding more shocked than angry. "But what about dinn-"</em></p><p>"<em>You'll get one slice of bread and a glass of water, that's </em><em><strong>it</strong></em><em>." Wu explained as they passed the borders of his ranch and turned onto the downhill path that led towards town. "That's what you get when you don't listen to your wise uncle."</em></p><p>
  <em>The blond snorted liked that was somehow funny causing Wu to narrow his eyes. "Keep it up and you're getting stale bread."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The rest of the walk to town was passed in meandering conversations consisting mainly of Lloyd ranting about life in the city and annoying little questions here and there about life in the out West, none of which Wu bothered to answer, not even as they finally made it past one of they many 'Welcome' signs adorning the front and back end of the ancient town.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wu's first stop was at the local supply shop. His damn branding irons kept getting broken (and he was in no way suspect of those idiot teenagers he'd hired to work at the ranch recently.) Luckily Mr. Smith,-the father of one of said idiot teenagers) was kind enough to give him a discount. Unluckily, it seemed his nephew was quite literally the definition of chatterbox as he couldn't seem to help running his mouth to each and every passer byer at each stop Wu had to make. So much so the old man was even more thankful than usual to arrive at his last stop; the post office.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The door's perpetual creak as he swung it open was like music compared to Lloyd's endless blathering. The front desk was strangely enough accompanied by a smiling Mrs. Jadeson. Hold on-</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why hello there Mr. Wu come to mail something?"</em></p><p>"<em>Where's Cyrus at?" The old farmer asked as he strolled up to the counter laid down the wooden package upon it.</em></p><p>"<em>Oh don't worry," Mrs. Jadeson explained, her tone carefully relaxed. "Mr. Borg's just come down with a cold, not surprising with winter coming-anyway Pixel's taking care of him so I figured I'd offer to hold down the fort for them."</em></p><p>"<em>That's nice of you." Wu sighed.</em></p><p>"<em>Oh it's no trouble." Mrs. Jadeson chuckled politely. "Just serving my duty and all." Six years of Mr. Jadeson being reelected again and again and the woman still acted like her husband just became mayor. "Plus Harumi volunteered to help me out." At that moment thanks to the raised hand vaguely gesturing towards her, Wu finally recognized the figure sitting on a stool next to the dwindling light of a burned out candle as the sixteen year old Harumi Qiana Jadeson.</em></p><p>
  <em>At the mention of her name, the teenager quietly lifted her head from the piece of paper she was hunched over. The mark of smushed ink marred her skin like ash against snow, something Wu never thought he'd see from the rich girl (rich by Jamaminikai standards) ,but he could hardly focus on the amusing sight when the vague memory of their latest argument filtered into his mind. He sighed regretfully. He hadn't meant to turn her dropping off a damn loaf of apple pie into some annoying spout that didn't even go anywhere. If she had just stopped talking to him about Mo-</em>
</p><p>"<em>Oh who's this?" Came Harumi's genuinely confused voice to disrupt his rampant thoughts.</em></p><p>
  <em>Looking down, the old ranch owner was surprised he hadn't realized the boy's quietness sooner as Lloyd shyly waved up at Harumi, his face scrunched together like a puppy dog's as he strayed behind Wu's leg for some kind of protection. It was close enough to cute, the farmer almost chuckled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Instead he simply brushed a calloused hand against the top of the blushing boy's head. "This is my brother's kid, Lloyd. He's gonna be staying up at the ranch with me for a couple weeks."</em>
</p><p>"<em>Aw." Mrs. Jadeson cooed out of motherly instinct. Her hand briefly disappeared beneath. "Hello there."</em></p><p>"<em>H-hi." Came a shy voice that Wu could hardly recognize as his nephew's. Even as the mayor's wife smiled at him, he still burrowed his head deeper into the old man's pant leg as his small fists clutched onto the sides for dear life.</em></p><p>
  <em>Harumi must have also found the sight endearing because not too long after a smile of her own was adorning her inked mark features.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Hey," She called out to him, earning his attention for a solid second. "Would you like some caramel?" At Lloyd's hesitant yet excited nod, Harumi reached into the jar sitting beside her and stretched downward to hand him the candy. The old man thought of telling her the boy's punishment ,but that seemed cruel even to himself.</em></p><p>
  <em>The blonde snatched it from her so fast he was back behind the shield of Wu's leg quicker than a dragonfly. The personality change was already giving the old farmer a headache.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Once again however he wasn't given much time to think about it ,before Mrs. Jadeson's voice brought him back to reality.</em>
</p><p>"<em>So...is this going to Morro?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Harumi jumped as if startled, her gaze snapped back to her mother and Wu almost as fast as Lloyd.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The ranch owner hesitated. "Uh, yeah."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mrs. Jadeson smile tightened in sympathy. "Well don't worry we'll get this straight to the front lines-"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Did you," Harumi paused as if only just realizing she interrupted her mother. "Did you wrap him up a slice of that pie I gave you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Mrs. Jadeson seemed ready to berate her daughter for rudely bothering the man about his own care package ,but before she could, the girl quietly muttered. "I just thought, you know since that's his favorite.."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As Harumi trailed off, Wu sighed again. "Yeah, I did, don't worry." That brought a small grin to her face and the old man took that as forgiveness.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>PrincessSoldierSheriff</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>That night, after Lloyd's short dinner (that may or may have not included just a sliver of butter for the bread after the blonde kept giving him those fucking puppy dog eyes) Wu was adamant about getting him that damn bed before the moon rose. However that goal was only slightly derailed by the simple fact the blond apparently didn't know what the words guest bedroom meant as evidenced by his sharp turn into...</em>
  <em>
    <strong>Morro's room</strong>
  </em>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>" <em>Get out of there." Wu called from the rudely swung open doorway. "This ain't the guest room you little moron." He teased lightly.</em></p><p>
  <em>Lloyd halted his matching pajama wearing body enough to look back at Wu dumbfounded. "Oh, is this your room?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>No-"</em></p><p>"<em>Is anyone else coming tonight?"</em></p><p>"<em>No again, but-"</em></p><p>"<em>So why can't I sleep here?" Lloyd groaned as he flopped backwards onto the tightly made bed. "I like it in here, it's got a window the other room doesn't have that."</em></p><p>"<em>Because it's not your room that's why. Now c'mon." Wu said, his throat gradually feeling thicker without his knowledge of why.</em></p><p>"<em>Well whose is it then?" The boy asked. A stiff silence fell over the two as the old man thought of what to say.</em></p><p>"<em>It's...it's Morro's." Lloyd tilted his head clearly confused causing Wu to sigh for the third time that night. "He's my son."</em></p><p>"<em>Oh...well... where is he?!" The blond inquired, suddenly sounding excited at the idea of having a cousin. "Is he coming over tomorrow? will he take me to the lake? Can we-"</em></p><p>"<em>No, no" The farmer shook his head as if to rid the boy's incessant blabbering from his mind. "He's not 'coming over', not now anyway."</em></p><p>"<em>Why's that?" Lloyd asked again. Dammnit how many questions did the boy have.</em></p><p>"<em>Well," Wu blew out a puff of air he chose to count as a huff rather than another fucking sigh. "He's serving in the war right now. So he's gonna be gone a while."</em></p><p>
  <em>Lloyd's eyes remained fogged with confusion for just a second longer before recognition crossed his face as his mouth formed a silent 'Oh'.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I know what you're talking about!" His nephew exclaimed like that was something to be proud of. "Mom's always talking about the war. She says hopefully with the expanding of the railroad and increasing enlistments we should win within the next two years."</em></p><p>
  <em>At that Wu had to snort, not only as his nephew's apparently amazing memory ,but also at Misako's predictions. Idealistic as ever,...sometimes he wondered if she'd still be like that if her son was Morro's age.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Hey wait a second," The blonde commanded as he looked back up at Wu. "How can you have a son? Where's your wife?"</em></p><p>"<em>I don't have one." Wu tersely replied causing Lloyd to stare at him like he'd been shot in the head.</em></p><p>"<em>What? No, you have to one? That's how you get a baby." He lectured with the confidence of a school teacher.</em></p><p>"<em>Not always." Wu pointed out, just barely managing to stifle a smile.</em></p><p>"<em>Then how did you get one?"</em></p><p>"<em>Well," Wu hummed leaning back against the doorway. "Morro wasn't actually a baby when I got him, in fact I think he was about your age." The old man smiled fondly. He could still see the stout shadow that used to lurk around his house at night. Looking back on it now he still couldn't believe he'd thought it was just a cat.</em></p><p>"<em>He used to be a big troublemaker too, always stealing stuff from people in town and no one who or what he was, so I just started leaving food out for him at night and eventually I managed to convince him to stay here with me and leave the townspeople alone." Wu explained, his grin widening ruefully at the oversimplification of it all, like it was some bedtime story.</em></p><p>"<em>Wow, really?" Lloyd asked, like he believed him.</em></p><p>
  <em>Wu just nodded. "Yeah, ok so now that we've thoroughly discussed this how about we get you into the guest room now?' The old man offered already expecting protest.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Please?" The blond predictively begged as he scooted farther across the bed. "I really like it here."</em></p><p>
  <em>Wu was about to argue some more, he really was ,but then he actually heard himself. What was he doing, it's not like Morro would actually care i-</em>
  <em>
    <strong>when </strong>
  </em>
  <em>he got back. Why was he already memorializing the boy, maybe he was preemptively preparing himself. Wu wondered if his father felt the same way when he and Garmadon said goodbye.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Inhaling a slow breath the old man eventually mustered the strength to turn back to Lloyd. "Fine, but don't make a mess in here." At Lloyd's giddy shrill of victory, Wu added. "And get ready at the crack of dawn I'm gonna put you to work on the farm tomorrow."</em>
</p><p>Now, here he was, still an old man, still feeling that familiar dread boil in his stomach like poison. 'What a fool.' Wu thought as he unconsciously rocked back and forth in his chair by the window Lloyd had loved so much as a kid, before Wu kicked him out, before Wu started sleeping in there instead. What a fool.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hey guys sorry I haven't updated in forever. Hope you enjoy Thx so much for your patience</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                </p><p>              <strong><br/><br/></strong></p><p>
  <span>“HARUMI?!”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?!” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Her guard was down and Wrayth was so close to bolting out the inn door he could already feel his boots and socks taking off without him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What am I- What are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>doing here?!”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Surely he could make it past the blonde idiots before they recovered. Archie was his only real obstacle.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m- Since when did you become a sheriff?!”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe Archie still had a soft spot for him. Eh probably not ,but it was worth the risk if he could just-</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Is </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>what you’ve been up to all these years!?”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ok on the count of three.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Lloyd I- This isn’t what you think!”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>One.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Is someone threatening you, are you in danger?! ”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Two.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s hard to explain.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>THRE-Oh wait.Shit!</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Wrayth choked on his own gasp as Harumi suddenly muttered a brief curse before slamming the end of her gun into his throat. He fell over as the need to gag overwhelmed him, meanwhile Harumi brandished another strike.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay down!”</span>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <br/>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <b>Princess,Soldier,Sheriff</b>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As Wrayth crumpled to the floor with a loud groan, Mr. Shaw forcefully stepped forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His weapon’s aim never left the disgruntled criminal whilst he focused back to the two blondes.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Look I don’t know whatever horseshit is going on right now ,but in case you’ve suddenly forgotten </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sheriff  </span>
  </em>
  <span>we just found the idiot responsible for my wife’s kidnapping.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Who you calling-” Wrayth hesitantly trailed off as Mr. Shaw’s harsh gaze snapped back over to him so hard there was an audible crunch in the air. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quiet. I’ll get to you soon enough.” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The criminal’s bronze eyes turned back to the curves in the wooden floorboards.How in the hell did he let this weasel get one over him again?</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“M-Mr. Shaw this is- I don’t know how to explain this correctly ,but this here is Harumi Jadeson. She’s the daughter of our mayor. She’s been missing for-” The boy cut himself off as the old man held up a single crooked finger to signal silence. “Don’t care. Like I said Sheriff we got something a few notches higher on the priority list dontcha think?” He let the click of his gun rotator speak for itself.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Throughout the entirety of his stay in </span>
  <span>Jamanikaitown Archer had never seen the lad look so uncertain. His earlier confidence might as well have been one of those corny church plays now that the fear beneath the bravado was staring the old man in the face. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd looked back to the girl. “Ok ,but…..Harumi can you please tell us(me) what you were doing with him here?”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Harumi’s eyes darted between the two. Her posture seemed relaxed only by wariness- a wariness she seemed to know well. She crossed her stiff arms and used scruffy fingers to play with the frayed fabric of her dress then,</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that really a question you have to ask? I promised to bring Morro home, Lloyd.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>All at once the flow of confusion and anger in the room slowed to a stuttering halt. Wrayth looked back at her like she sprouted wings. A frown slowly etched itself across Lloyd’s face as a low sigh left him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As for Mr. Shaw, the vision of a young man, covered in blood entered his mind. He vividly remembered the look he received that night</span>
  <span>, the kind enraged enough to banish a saint into the most desolate pits of hell.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t be serious.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Harumi?”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I know what you’re gonna say.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I just- What does this criminal even have to do with it?” Lloyd looked eager to change the subject.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not just a criminal Lloyd. His name is Walter Anderson he’s the last surviving member of Morro’s squadron, he’s the only person who has any idea what happened out there!”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I-What did he tell you?”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I was about to get that before you all came barging in!”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you two shut the hell up already!?” All eyes turned to the crouching criminal. His own gaze was focused up at Harumi. “ Sorry to disappoint ,but I already told the brod that good for nothing idiot died in a grenade strike. End of story.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Archer closed his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Those hushed whispers weren’t hush enough. They should have shut the doors just a little tighter or just talked a little damn quieter.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I won’t.” A voice sobbed.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I can’t.” They sobbed again.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I can’t go back!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The crying stopped. </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>She </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>came out a moment later with the sharpest grin he’d ever seen decorate her face.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Looks like we’ve just received a new member.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait.” Mr. Shaw suddenly commanded. Everyone’s stance turned rigid. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s lying.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Wrayth’s bronze gaze turned fiery in an instant. Archer had no doubt he’d tackle him if he could.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Archer</b>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“The boy’s alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“TRAITOR!” The bandaged man shot to his feet quicker than a rattlesnake. The blonde idiots both reached for their weapons ,but he was already on the old man.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“YOU MADE A PROMISE! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T TELL!!”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Archer simply snarled, prying the burn victim off by his elbows.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“All bets were off the moment you took Bonnie!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“YOU-”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Whatever else Wrayth had to say was cut short by the blunt end of a gun being rammed into his head. Harumi stretched out a hand to help the old man to his feet.  As he dusted himself off Archer continued. “I think our goals are actually quite aligned here. Young lady wherever my wife has been taken </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’ll </span>
  </em>
  <span>be waiting. And if she’s there I can guarantee you the one you’ve been searching will be too.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you-Who is </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Lloyd stuttered.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mr. Shaw sucked in a breath. “ My old boss.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>PrincessSoldierSheriff</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Bonnie startled. Her awakened eyes rummaged the train seat as Sackhead leaned back with his outstretched hand. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re getting off at the next stop. Be ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The old woman swallowed. How could they be this close already? What in the hell were they feeding this damn death trap.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seemingly able to read minds her captor spoke. “We aren’t anywhere near the boss yet, we’re only stopping to meet with someone.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s someone?” Bonnie asked as she was led to her feet. The usual hustle and bustle of a station was nowhere to be seen as they exited. The old woman quickly realized they were the only ones getting off.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sackhead didn’t bother to reply, only gripping her forearm again as if she’d choose now of all times to make a break for it.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>With careful footsteps they entered into the only visible structure within a ten mile radius. An old shack that probably used to be a ticket booth when there was still a town to go with it.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The inside was predictably bare and dusty, but at the very least a mild escape from the scorching heat.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Bonnie scanned the place in befuddlement. Who in the hell would wanna hold up all the way out here? Why would the train even waste the time to stop at this place?</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. I was afraid you’d forget to tell the conductor where to stop after you bribed him.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The old woman stiffened. She knew that voice.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A moment later a familiar figure appeared leaning against the wall adjacent to the window seals.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>She watched as he regarded Sackhead with practiced ease.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Our rides are out back. We better get a move on.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t bother addressing her. Figures.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Instead the bastard was busy fiddling with the charcoal black cloth resting just above his right eye socket. Bonnie couldn’t believe he still kept the same one all this time. Idiot.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The strange look she bestowed him must have been noticeable because within the next second he approached her.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Bonnie held her breath as she stared into the empty green void that was his left eye.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“He treated you alright, Bansha?” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You know damn well I hate that name.” Even so she still sighed in relief. “And anyways he got me here in one piece if that’s what you're asking,</span>
  <b> Morro</b>
  <span>.”</span>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So just figured I should let y'all know that the warnings/ ratings may change based on what plot points I decide to add in the future, just thought I should put that out there. Anyway thank you so much for reading! Feel free to let me know what you do or don’t like about it. All critique is welcome here!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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